By Farr Viognier 2019
$65.99
SPECIAL 6 Pack Buy. 95 points, The Real Review.
Out of stock
Description
We regard By Farr Wines from Geelong as one of the finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers in the land and their cool climate viognier is a gorgeous example of finesse.
The By Farr viognier consists of a blend of fruit from two vineyards. The first is the original house block, planted in 1994, which is friable red soil over limestone leading to sandstone—similar soils to the Sangreal pinot noir and By Farr chardonnay. The second vineyard is a younger planting of unknown clones in red ironstone soil. The viognier is a difficult variety to manage as it has a tendency to grow horizontally rather than vertically, needs a lot of water and can become sunburnt very easily. Because of this we have decided to pick the fruit earlier in the past few years in order to retain its natural acidity, ensuring we maintain varietal character and creating a more delicate and refined wine.
Viognier is foot stomped and left for two or more hours on its skins to extract the phenols, flavour and texture. The fruit is then pressed, cooled and put straight into barrel with all solids for a natural fermentation. Gentle stirring during the end of autumn encourages malolactic fermentation, which softens the finish by converting the tart malic acid to lactic acid. The wine is then racked, fined and filtered. It is ready to be bottled 11 months after harvest.
Winemaker, Nick Farr on the 2019 vintage: “There has been great resilience shown this year by vineyard and vigneron as we look back and consider the season that was 2018/2019.
The vineyard and earth’s surface has never looked this dry, yet the performance of the vines this vintage was remarkable. We learn so much about our soils and vines health each vintage. To still see an abundance of foliage on the vine at this stage of the year, exhibits to the vignerons that the continual aeration, moisture penetration and general biological approach to viticulture is working in our unique and harsh Australian site.
With little to no rain during the Spring months, the vineyards were very reliant on the (lower than average) sub soil moisture from lower Winter rainfall. Moving through the months of November and December, it was apparent that we were in for lower than average yields, and as we started to irrigate some vineyards in mid-December, we were very conscious not to give the vines false hope, leading to unsustainable canopy and fruit load on the vines. When irrigating the vineyards in years like this, we find it is best to only help maintain the natural progression of the vines, regardless of the potential yields that further irrigation can bring.”
A lovely perfumed, yet subtle expression of viognier. Fresh peach and apricot flavours as a young wine, which we believe will intensify over time. The palate is restrained, luscious and shows a ginger-flavoured freshness with underlying power and lingering aftertaste. This wine benefits beautifully from 12 months of bottle ageing, as the acid softens.
95 Points – Ralph Kyte-Powell, The Real Review ‘It’s fragrant and scented, with hints of apricot, musky blossom, chamomile and whispers of yeastiness. The palate is smooth and refined, seamless yet rich, with just enough phenolic backbone for balanced structure. Barrel input is subliminal, yet its influence enhances the “feel” of the wine beautifully. The finish is very long and hauntingly aromatic. Drink 2020-2024’
93 points, Campbell Mattinson, The Wine Front “Viognier is rarely associated with elegance but that’s what we see here. It’s a wine of straight lines and gentle curves, everything leading to a finish all prettied with florals. There’s more than a little class on display here, though it’s of the understated kind.”
RRP $79 **Our Special 6 Pack Price $65.99 when you buy 6 of this wine*
Additional information
Producer | By Farr |
---|---|
Region or Country | Australia, Geelong |
Variety | Viognier |
Vintage | 2019 |
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